Scottish Proverbs

A begun turn is half ended.
A blate cat makes a proud mouse.
A black hen lays a white egg.
A blythe heart makes a blooming look.
Abundance of law breaks nane.
A hungry stomach is aye craving.
A cock's aye cruse on his ain midden-head.
A dog winna youl if ye fell him wi' a bane.
A dry simmer ne'er made a dear peck.
A bird in the hand is worth twa in the bush.
Ae good turn deserves anither.
Ae swallow makes nae simmer.
Ae scabbed sheep will smit the hale hirdsel.
A fool may gie a wise man a counsel.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
Aft counting keeps friends lang thegither.
Aft times the cautioner pays the debt.
A fou purse never lacks friends.
A good cow may hae an ill calf.
A good word is as soon said as an ill one.
A good tale is no the waur o' being twice tale.
A good name is sooner tint that won.
A hungry louse bites sair.
A hungry man's any angry.
A liar should hae a good memory.
A light purse makes a heavy heart.
A the con's no shorn by kempers.
A's no tint that's in hazard.
A' Stewarts are no sib to the king.
A's well that ends well.
A' things are good untry'd.
A man canna bear a' his kin on his back.
A man may be kind and gie little o' his gear.
A man's well or wae as he thinks himself sae.
A misty morning may be a clear day.
A muffled cat was ne'er a good hunter.
An auld mason makes a good barrow-man.
An auld sack craves much clouting.
An auld pock is aye skailing.
An auld dog bites sicker.
An ill shearer nexer gat a good hook.
An ill plea should be well pled.
An ill turn is soon done.
An ill servant ne'er prov'd a good master.
Ane never tines by doing good.
Ane may bind a sack before it be fou'.
Ane is no sae soon heai'd as hurt.
Ane will gar a thousand lie.
A new besom sweeps clean.
A nod of an honest man is good enough.
A rowing stane gathers nae fog.
As broken a ship has come to land.
As brisk as bottled ale.
As lang lives the merry man as the sad.
As the sow fills the draff sours.
As the auld cock craws the young one learns.
As the fool thinks the bell clinks.
A sillerless man gangs fast thraugh the market.
A sorrowfu' heart's aye dry.
At open doors dogs come in.
A taking hand will never want.
A tale never tines in the telling.
A tocherless dame sits lang at hame.
A toom purse makes a pratling merchant.
A toom pantry makes a thriftless gudewife.
A turn well done is soon done.
A twapenny cat may look at the king.
A wee bush is better than nae bield.
A wee mouse can creep under a great corn stack.
A wilfu' man should be unco wise.
A's no gowd that glitters.
A fou man and a hungry horse haste hame.
Auld men are twice bairns.
Auld sparrows are ill to tame.
A woman conceals what she knows not.
A man's best fortune, or his worst is a wife.
Any thing for a quiet life.
A pound o' care will no pay an ounce of debt.
A fool and his money are soon parted.
An idle brain is the devil's shop.

BARE gentry are braging and beggars.
Be a friend to yoursel and others will.
Be lang sick that ye may be soon hale.
By guess as the blind man felled the dog.
Beggars shoudna be choosers.
Better a bit in the morning than fast a' day.
Break the legs o' an evil custom.
Better a dog fawn on you than bark at you.
Better a finger aff than aye wagging.
Better a toom house than an ill tenant.
Better auld debts than auld sairs.
Better to be alane than in ill company.
Better to be idle than ill employed.
Better buy than barrow.
Better day the better deed.
Better find iron than tine siller.
Bare-footed men need not tread upon thorns.
Better go to bed supperless than rise in debt.
Better hand loose than in an ill tethering.
Better kiss a knave than cast out wi' him.
Better keep well than make well.
Better lang something than soon naething.
Better leave to my faes than beg frae my friends.
Better rue sit than rue flit.
Better sit idle than work for nought.
Better skaith sav'd than mends made.
Better sma' fish than nane.
Better to haud than to draw.
Better unborn than untaught.
Better wait on the cook than the doctor.
Better wear shoon than sheets.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Birth's good but breeding's better.
Blind men shoulna be judge o' colours.
Blood's thicker than water.
Burnt bairns dread fire.

CADGERS have aye mind of lade saddles.
Cast a bane in the deil's teeth.
Charity begins at hame.
Come unca'd sits unser'd.
Comes to my hand like the bowl of a pint stoup.
Come with the wind and gae with the water.
Corn him well he'll work the better.
Count again is not forbidden.
Count siller after a' your kin.
Credit keeps the crown of the causey.
Credit is better than ill luck.
Crooked carlin, quoth the carle to his wife.
Count not your chickens before they are hatched.

DAWTED bairns do bear little.
Daylight will peep through a small hole.
Death and marriage make term-days.
Death defies the doctors.
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
Delays are dangerous.
Do well and dread na shame.
Do well and have well.
Do what you ought come what will.
Do the likeliest and hope the best.
Do as the lasses do, say no, and take it.
Double drinks are good for drouth.
Double charges rive cannons.
Draff's good enough for swine'.
Drink little that ye may drink lang.
Dree out the inch when ye have thoi'd the span.

EAT well's drink well's brother.
Eating and drinking wants but a beginning.
Either live or die with honour.
Enough's as good as a feast.
Evening oats are good morning father.
Every thing hath an end and a pudding has twa.
Every one kens best when his ain shoe nips him.
Every craw thinks his ain bird whitest.
Every man wears his belt his ain gait.
Every man's tale is good till anither's be tauld.
Every man has his ain draff porch.
Experience teaches fools.

FAINT heart never won a fair lady.
Fair words winna gar the pot boil.
Fancy kills and cures.
Fancy flees before the wind.
Far away fowls have fair feathers.
Feckless fouk are aye fain of anither.
Fiddlers dogs flesh flies come to feasts unca'd.
Fine feathers make fine birds.
First come, first served.
Fire and water are good servants but bad masters.
Flaes and a girning wife are wakerife bed fellows.
Fleying a bird is not the gate to grip it.
Fools shou'd na hae chapping sticks.
Fools make feasts and wise men eat them.
For fashion's sake as dogs gang to the market.
Forbid a fool a thing and that he will do.
Foul water slockens fire.
Friendship canna stand aye on ae side.
Fresh fish and poor friends grew soon ill far'd.

GENTLE paddocks have lang taes.
Giff gaff makes good friends.
Give a dog an ill name and ye may hang him.
Give a man luck and fling him in the sea.
Give o'er when the plays good.
Give them tow enough and they'll hang themsels.
Give you an inch you'll take an ell.
Glasses and lasses are bruckle ware.
Good watch prevents harm.
Good-ware make a quick market.
Gowd may be dear coft.
Great barkers are nae biters.
Gut nae fish till ye get them.

HAE gars a deaf man hear.
Hair and hair make the carlo's beard bare.
Hame is hame though it were never so hamely.
Hand in use is father of lair.
Hang hunger and rown drouth.
Had a halfpenny is gear enough.
Have ye gear have ye nane, tine heart and a's gane.
He brings a staff to break his ain head.
He comes aftener with the rake then the shool.
He complains early that complains of his kail.
He cares na whase bairns greet if his laugh.
He can hide his meat and seek mair.
He can see an inch before his nose.
He does na aye ride when he saddles his horse.
He fells twa dogs wi' ae stane.
He gat his kail in a riven dish.
He has gotten the boot and the better beast.
He has meikle prayer but little devotion.
He has come to good by misguiding.
He has an eye in his neck.
He has gotten a bite of his ain bridle.
He has the best end of the string.
He has't of kind he coft it not.
He has feather'd his nest, flee when he likes.
He has gotten the whip hand of him.
He has licket the butter aff my bread.
He has a crap for a' corn.
He kens whilk side his cake is buttered on.
He'll no let grass grow at his heels.
He'll tell't to nae mair then he meets.
He'll make an ill rinner that canna gang.
He'll wag as the bush wags.
He may swim well that has his head hadden up.
He maun be soon up that cheats the tod.
He made a moon-light flitting.
He may find fault that canna mend.
He may laugh that wins a'.
He rides sicker that never fa's.
He's a fool that forgets himself.
He's born deaf on that side of the head.
He's wise that's timely wary.
He's an Aberdeen man, take his word again.
He's no sae daft as he lets on.
He's a proud fox that winna scrape his ain hole.
He's a hawk of a right nest.
He's a silly chief that can neither do nor say.
He's the gear that winna traik.
He's weel wordy sorrow that buys it.
He's like the sing'd cat, better than he's bonny.
He sleeps as dogs do when wives bake cakes.
He that blaws best should bear the horn.
He that clatters to himself talks to a fool.
He that canna make sport shou'd mar nane.
He that does you an ill turn will ne'er forgie you.
He that deals in dirt has aye foul fingers.
He that gets forgets, but he that wants thinks on't.
He that has a good crop may thole some thistles.
He that has meikle wad aye hae mair.
He that has but ae eye maun tent that well.
He that has a muckle nose thinks ilk ane speaks o't.
He that's ill to himself will be good to naebody.
He that lends his pot may seethe his kail in his loof.
He that laughts at his ain sport spills the sport o't.
He that lippens to bodden ploughs, his hand lies lee.
He that lives upon hope has a slim diet.
He that looks to freets, freets follow him.
He that shaws his purse bribes the thief.
He that sleeps with dogs maun rise with flaes.
He that speers all opinions comes ill speed.
He that teaches himself has a fool for his master.
He that winna when he may shanna when he wad.
He that wad eat the kernel maun crack the nut.
He that winna thole maun flit mony a hole.
He was the bee that made the honey.
He wad gang a mile to flit a sow.
He winna send you away with a sair heart.
He wat's nae whilk end o' him's uppermost.
He woos me for cake and pudding.
Hens are aye free of horse corn.
His auld brass will buy a new pan.
His bark is waur than his bite.
His room's better than his company.
His tongue's nae slander.
Hunger is good Kitchen.
Hungry dogs are blithe of bursten puddings.
Hungry stewards wear mony shoon.

I BAKE nae bread by your shins.
I can scarce believe you, ye speak sae fair.
I canna afford you both tale and lugs.
I have another tow on my rock.
I have mair ado than a dish to wash.
I have tane the sheaf frae the mare.
I have baith my meat and my mense.
I have seen mair than I have eaten.
I ken by my cog wha milks my cow.
Ill news are aft owre true.
Ill payers are aye good cravers.
Ill-will never spake well.
It gangs in at ae lug and out at the ither.
It is a good tongue that says nae ill.
It is an ill wind that blaws naebody good.
It is an ill cause that the lawyers think shame.
It is a mean mouse that has but ae hole.
It is a nasty bird that files its ain nest.
It is a sair field where a's slain.
It is a silly flocks where the ewe bears the bell.
It is a silly hen that canna scrape for ae bird.
It is a' tint that is done to auld folk and bairns.
It is better to sup with a cutty than want a spoon.
It is good gear that pleases the merchant.
It is good baking beside the meal.
It is good sleeping in a hale skin.
It is good to be out of harms gate.
It is good to be sib to siller.
It is hard to sit in Rome and strive with the Pope.
It is hard to please a' parties.
It is hard baith to have and want.
It is ill getting breeks aff a Highlandman.
It is ill bringing butt what's no benn.
It is kittle shooting at corbies and clergy.
It is kittle to waken sleeping dogs.
It is needless to pour water on a drown'd mouse.
It is not tin that a friend gets.
It is not what is she, but what has she.
It is past joking when the head's aff.
It is well war'd that wasters want.
It is well that our fauts are not written.
It is the best spake in your wheel.
It keeps his nose at the grindstane.
It will be a feather out of your wing.

Joke at leisure, ye kenna wha may jybe you.
Jouk and let the jaw gae by.

KEEP something for a sair foot.
Keep your tongue within your teeth.
Keep the feast to the feast day.
Keep the staff in your ain hand.
Keep your breath to cool your crowdie.
Kend fouk's nae company.
Kings and bears aft worry their keepers.

LAITH to bed and laith to rise.
Lang fasting hains nae meat.
Lang look'd for comes at last.
Lang straes are nae mots.
Lang ere ye saddle a foal.
Law's costly take a pint and 'gree.
Law makers shou'dna be law breakers.
Laugh at leisure ye may greet ere night.
Leave welcome behind you.
Leave aff as lang as the play's good.
Learn you to an ill use arid ye'll ca't custom.
Let na the plough stand to slay a mouse.
Let him take a spring on his ain fiddle.
Let him cool in the skin he het in.
Let his ain wand ding him.
Let never sorrow come sae near your heart.
Let the horns gang with the hide.
Let the morn come and the meat wi't.
Let the kirk stand in the kirkyard.
Let them laugh that win.
Let them care that come behind.
Lie for him and he'll swear for you.
Light burdens break nae banes.
Lie the cur in the crub, he'll neither do nor let do.
Like's an ill mark.
Lippen to me but look to yoursel.
Little kend the less car'd for.
Little odds between a feast and a fu' wame.
Loud at the loan was ne'er a good milk cow.
Love's as warm among cotters as courtiers.
Love your friend and look to yoursel.

MAIDEN'S bairns are aye well bred.
Mair by luck than good guiding.
Mair hamely than welcome.
Make ae lang step and down ye gae.
Make a kirk or a mill o't.
Make the best of an ill bargain.
Make your hay when the sun shines.
Malice is aye mindfu'.
Many court the child for the sake of the nurse.
May-bees flee not at this time of the year.
Meat and mass hinders no man.
Mettle is dangerous in a blind horse.
Mickle wad aye hae mare.
Money makes a man free every where.
Mair hast the waur speed.
Mony hands make light wark.
Mony hounds may soon worry a hare.
Mony a ane serves a thankless master.
Mony wyte their wife for their ain thriftless like.
Mony dogs die or ye fa' heir.
Mony a ane's gear has hastened his hinder end.
Mony good nights is laith away.
Mony ways to kill a dog though ye dinna hang him.
Mony cooks ne'er made good kail.
Mony a ane spears the gate they ken.
Must is a kings word.
My son's my son aye till he get a wife, my daughter's my daughter a' the days of her life.
My market's made ye may lick a whip shaft.

NAE fool to an auld fool.
Nae friend to a friend in need.
Nae great loss but there's some sma' profit.
Nae man has a tack of his life.
Nae man can thrive unless his wife let him.
Nae penny nae paternoster.
Nae sooner up than her head's in the ambry.
Nae safe wading in unco waters.
Nae wonder to see wasters want.
Naething to do but draw in your stool & sit down.
Nane but fools and knaves lay wagers.
Nane sae weel but he hopes to be better.
Nane can play the fool sae well as a wise man.
Narrow gathered widely spent.
Neck or naething, the king loes nae cripples.
Necessity has nae law.
Neither fish nor flesh nor good red herring.
New lairds have new laws.
Never do ill that good may come.
Never put a sword into a madman's hand.
Never quit certainty for hope.
Never scad your lips in other fouks kail.
Never seek a wife till ye ken what to do with her.
Never shaw your teeth unless you can bite.
Never tell your fae when your foot sleeps.
Nineteen nay-says of a maiden are half a grant.
Now's now, and yule's in winter.

O'er mickle of a thing is good for naething.
O'er sicker o'er loose.
Of a' sorrow a fou sorrow's best.
Of twa ills chuse the least.
Oil and truth will get uppermost at last.
Open confession is good for the soul.
Out of debt out of danger.
Oppression will make a wise man mad.

PAY him in his ain coin.
Pith's good in a play.
Play's good while it is play.
Penny wise and pound foolish.
Poor fouk's friends soon misken.
Possession is eleven points of the law.
Pride and grace dwell never in ae place.
Put the saddle on the right horse.
Put on your spurs and be at your speed.

QUALITY without quantity is little thought of.
Quick for you'll never be cleanly.
Quick at meat quick at wark.
Quick returns make rich merchants.

Rob Peter to Pay Paul.
Rue and time grew baith at ae garden.
Rule youth well, for eild will ruld itself.

Say well's good but do well is better.
Say still no and ye'll never be married.
Scant of cheeks makes a long nose.
Scart the cog wad sup mare.
Scorn makes commonly with skaith.
Seeing's believing a' the world o'er.
Serve yoursel' till your bairns come to age.
Set that down on the back side of your count-book.
Set a knave to catch a knave.
Set a stout heart to a stay brae.
Shallow waters make maist din.
Sharp stomachs make short graces.
She looks as if butter would not melt in her mouth.
She hauds up her head like a hen drinking water.
She's better than she's bonny.
Sic as ye gie sic will ye get.
Silence grips the mouse.
Sic reek as is therein comes out of the lum top.
Slaw at meat slaw at wark.
Smooth waters run deep.
Sma' fish are better than nae fish.
Sorrow is soon enough when it comes.
Sorrow and ill weather come unsent for.
Some hae a hantle o' fauts ye'er a ne'er-do-well.
Speak good of pipers your father was a fiddler.
Spilt ale is waur than water.
Stuffing hauds out storms.
Stown dints are sweetest.
Sudden friendship sure repentance.
Surfeits slay mair than the sword.
Swear by your burnt shins.
Swear't to bed and sweer't up in the morning.

TAKE it a' and pay the merchant.
Take the bite and buffet we't.
Take a pint and 'gree, the law's costly.
Take your ain will, & then ye'll no die of the pet.
Take your venture as many a good ship has done.
Take your thanks to feed your cat.
Take a man by his word and a cow by her horn.
Take a hair of the dog that bit you.
Take me not up before I fa'.
Take your will o't as the cat did o' the haggis.
Tell nae tales out of the school.
That's but ae doctor's opinion.
That's for the father and no for the son.
That's for that as butter for fish.
That's my tale where's yours.
That's the piece a step-bairn never got.
The back and the belly hauds every ane busy.
The better day the better deed.
The banes of a great estate is worth the piking.
The cure may be worse than the disease.
The cow that's first up gets the first of the dew.
The first fuf of a fat haggis is the baldest.
The feathers bear away the flesh.
The grey mare may be the better-horse.
The greatest clerks are not the wisest men.
The happy man canna be berried.
The higher up the greater fa'.
The king's errand may come in the cadger's gate.
The langer we live we see the mae fairlies.
The lucky pennyworth sells soonest.
The langest day will have an end.
The laird may be laird and need his hind's help.
The mair cost the mair honour.
The master's eye makes the horse fat.
The mair mischief the better sport.
The pains o'ergangs the profit.
The poor man's aye put to the warst.
The poor man pays for a'.
The poor man's shilling is but a penny.
The scholar may war the master.
The still sow eats up a' draff.
The simple man's the begger's brother.
The thiefer-like the better sodger.
The thing that's done is no to do.
The tod keeps aye his ain hole clean.
The tod's whelps are ill to tame.
The worth of a thing is best kent by the want o't.
The warld is bound to nae man.
There is mony a true tale tald in a jest.
There is a measure in a' things.
There is nane sae blind as them that wadna see.
There is naething ill said that's no ill tane.
There was never a fair word in flything.
There was never enough where naething was left.
There is a skill in gruel making.
There is a great differ amang market-days.
There is an end of an auld sang.
There is aye life for a living man.
There are mae ways to the wood then ane.
There are mae married than good house-hadders.
There never came ill after good advertisement.
There grows nae grass at the cross.
There is life in a mussel as lang is it cheeps.
There is little for the rake after the shool.
They are aye good that are far away.
They are not a' saints that get holy water.
They loo me for little that hate me for nought.
They that give you hinder you to buy.
They that drink longest live langest.
They that lie down for love shou'd rise for hunger.
They that bourd with cats maun count upo' scarts. Thistles are a sailed for asses.
Thole well is good for burning.
Till ither tinklers ill may ye 'gree.
Time tint is ne'er to be found.
Three can keep a secret if twa be awa.
Time and thinking tame the strongest grief.
Time and tide will tarry on nae man.
Tine thimble tane thrift.
Time tries a' as winter tries the kail.
Touch a gaw'd horse on the back and he'll fling.
Truth and honesty keep the crown of the causey.
Try your friend or you need him.
Two hungry meals make the third a glutton.
Twa fools in a house are a couple o'er mony.
Twa words maun gang to that bargain.
Twa wits are better than ane.

Want of wit is waur than want of health.
Weans maun creep ere they gang.
Welcome is the best dish in the kitchen.
Well is that well does.
Were it not for hope, heart wad break.
We are aye to learn as lang as we live.
We can shape their wylie coat, but no their word,
We'll bark oursels ere we buy dog.
We canna baith sup and blaw.
We maun live by the living and no by the dead.
We are bound to be honest and no to be rich.
Who invited you to the roast.
Wha can haud what will awa'.
Wha can help misluck.
Wha comes aftener and brings less.
What we first learn we best ken.
What ye win at that, ye may lick aff a het girdle.
What's my case the day may be yours the morn.
What's waur than ill luck.
What need a rich man be a thief.
What canna be cured maun be endured.
When ae door steeks anither ane opens.
When a' men speak nae man hears.
When drink's in wit's out.
When my head's down my house is theeked.
When the wame's fu' the bones would be at rest.
When you are serv'd a' the geese are water'd.
When ye're gawn and coming the gate's no toom.
When he dies for age ye may quack for fear.
When the well's fu' it will rin owre.
When the steed's stown lock the stable door.
Wee things fley cowards.
What's in ye're wame is no in ye're testament.
Wilfu' waste mak waefu' want.
Winter thunder bodes summer hunger.
Wink at wee faults, your ain are muckle.
Wit bought makes folk wise.
Woo sellers ken aye woo-buyers.
Wrang has nae warrant.
Wrang count is nae payment.

YE cut before the point.
Ye cam a day after the fair.
Ye cut lang whangs out o' ither folk's leather.
Ye canna make a silk purse of a sow's lug.
Ye canna see the wood for trees.
Ye canna preach out of your ain poupit.
Ye dinna ken where the blessing may light.
Ye fand it where the Highlandman fand the tangs.
Ye glowr'd at the moon, and fell on the midden.
Ye go far about seeking the nearest.
Ye hae a ready mouth for a ripe cherry.
Ye have owre foul feet to come sae far ben.
Ye have a crap for a' corn.
Ye have ta'en the measure of his feet.
Ye have owre meikle loose leather about your chafts.
Ye have fasted long and worried on a midge.
Ye have nothing to do but suck and wag your tail.
Ye have tint the tongue of the trump.
Ye have staid lang and brought little wi' you.
Ye have tane't upon you as the wife did the dancing.
Ye have the wrang sow by the lug.
Ye live at the lug of the law.
Ye'll neither dance or haud the candle.
Ye'll no sell your hen in a rainy day.
Ye'll ne'er cast saut on his tail.
Ye'll no herry yoursel with your ain hands.
Ye look liker a thief than a horse.
Ye may gang farther and fare waur.
Ye may be heard where ye're no seen.
Ye may dight your neb and fly up.
Ye'll drink before me.
Ye'll find him where you left him.
Ye may take the head for the washing.
Ye'll get the cat wi' the twa tails.
Ye'll beguile nane but them that lippens to you.
Ye'll mend when ye grow better.
Ye'll never be sae auld with sae mickle honesty.
Ye never saw green cheese but your e'en reei'd.
Ye're nae chicken for a' your cheeping.
Ye're good enough but ye're no braw enough.
Ye're of sae mony minds ye'll never be married.
Ye're never pleas'd fu' nor fasting.
Ye're unco good and ye'll grow fair.
Ye're sair fash'd hadding naething together.
Ye're no fed on deaf nuts.
Ye're busy seeking the thing that's no tint.
Ye're like the hens ye rin aye to the heap.
Ye're fear'd for the day ye never saw.
Ye're best when ye're sleeping.
Ye're a sweet nut if you were well cracked.
Ye soon weary of well doing.
Your tongue rins aye before your wit.
Ye watna where a blessing may light.
Young folk may die, but auld folk maun die.
Young ducks may be auld geese.
Your meal's a' deagh.
Your head will never fill your father's bonnet.
Your ame thinks your wysen's cutted.
Your purse was steeked when that was paid for.
Your minnie's milk is no out of your nose yet.
Ye're no light where lean a'.
Ye'se get your brose out of the lee side of the pot.
Your thrift's as good as the profit of a yell hen.
Your gear will never o'er gang you.